Delhi Confidential: Manik Saha makes first visit to Delhi after becoming Tripura CM

Manik Saha's visit comes at a time when uncertainty persists over whether the central leadership of the BJP will appoint a new state president, a post which he currently holds.

New Delhi |
Updated: May 25, 2022 6:45:48 am

Newly appointed Chief Minister of Tripura Manik Saha (Express Illustration)

Capital visit: Tripura’s newly appointed Chief Minister Manik Saha arrived in Delhi on Tuesday, in his first visit to the national capital after taking charge. During his stay, Saha is expected to pay a courtesy call to President Ram Nath Kovind and also meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman among others. His visit comes at a time when uncertainty persists over whether the central leadership of the BJP will appoint a new state president, a post which Saha currently holds. Ever since he was asked to step down, former chief minister Biplab Deb has been extensively touring the state, which goes to polls in 2023. By participating in party events, Deb, it is learnt, is staking his claim to become the state party chief, a role which he has performed before.

The gifts: Prime Minister Narendra Modi gifted items featuring rare Indian art work from Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh and Tamil Nadu to his fellow Quad leaders from Australia, the US and Japan. US President Joe Biden is said to have received a Sanjhi art work, a hand-cut paper design of motifs of Krishna, while Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese received a Gond painting. While PM Modi gifted his Japanese President Fumio Kishida a wooden hand-carved box with Rogan painting from Gujarat, former Japanese Prime Ministers received Pattumadai silk mats, a unique superfine silk mat weaving from ‘korai’ grass grown on the banks of river Tamiraparani in Tamil Nadu.

Cleanliness survey: ‘Waste to Wealth’ will be this year’s theme in Prime Minister’s pet project Swachh Bharat Abhiyan’s Swachh Survekhan 2023, the government’s annual cleanliness survey to promote sanitation in urban centres under the Swachh Bharat Mission. This year’s survey would give priority to the principle of 3Rs – reduce, recycle and reuse. Last year, Indore, Navi Mumbai, Nellore and Dewas emerged as the top performers while Gujarat’s Surat maintained its position as the second cleanest city in India with population over 10 lakh while Vijaywada moved up from its fourth spot. Chhattisgarh had emerged as the ‘Cleanest State’ for the third consecutive year.